


Brave

by Krissielee



Series: Harry's Snapshots [5]
Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Gen, slight domestic violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-17
Updated: 2015-06-17
Packaged: 2018-04-04 21:47:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4154154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krissielee/pseuds/Krissielee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was supposed to <i>protect</i> his mother, and he’d fucking do it, too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brave

The pain in his wrist was bad, worse even than the pain in his jaw. Tears pricked at Eggsy’s eyes as he cradled his arm against his chest, but he refused to cry. He glared at his stepfather, standing as tall as he could, ready to go again. At 14, he was still small, still weak, and years away from being able to do anything about the prick that had insinuated himself into their life.

“Don’t touch ‘er,” he said, voice shaking just a little from fear and adrenaline. “Leave ‘er alone. She didn’t do nothin’!”

“You shut the fuck up, Mugsy,” Dean said, pushing the young boy out of his way to get at Michelle again, cowering in the corner. There was alcohol on his breath, something cheap and sickening, and something else, too, that he couldn’t place. “She’s my wife, and she’s got to learn her place.”

Something inside Eggsy snapped. He was supposed to _protect_ his mother, and he’d fucking do it, too. He couldn’t stand to see her cry, and she cried more and more lately. She was hurting, emotionally and physically. Being with Dean was killing her, even Eggsy could see that.

“No!” he said, lashing out and kicking Dean again. “Fuck you! Don’t hurt my mum!” Dean was stronger than him, though, and threw his aside.

The last thing Eggsy remembered before everything went black was the sharp pain of hitting his head on the table’s edge.

\--

When he woke up, he was in the A&E. He didn’t know how he’d gotten there, though; Dean would never have stood for calling an ambulance for him, and he was alone, which meant his mother hadn’t brought him, unless she was in worse condition than he was. In the past, she’d stayed by his side when he had to see a doctor; Eggsy didn’t really care for hospitals, and especially not alone. In recent years, though, he’d ended up on a first-name basis with some of the hospital staff, and it wasn’t as scary now.

Nurses and doctors were rushing past his room, not paying him any mind. Eggsy’s hand fumbled a bit on the blanket covering him before finding the call button and pressing it. Even that movement was too much for him; he felt as though every muscle in his body was refusing to cooperate.

“Good to see you awake, Mr. Unwin,” the doctor said as he stepped into the room. He looked somewhat familiar, but Eggsy couldn’t place him. His head was swimming from the concussion. He’d probably taken care of Eggsy the last time he’d ended up in A&E. “You hit your head pretty hard, but you’ll be good as new in a few weeks. Your wrist will take a little longer; it’s broken. You’ll have to be more careful about slipping in the kitchen, young man.”

Eggsy blinked. He knew that wasn’t what happened, and he couldn’t be sure, but he didn’t think the doctor believed it, either.

At least the cast explained how heavy his arm felt.

“Mum?” he asked.

“She’s fine. Just a few bruises. Your stepfather’s sleeping off his alcohol for the night,” the doctor added, then glanced out the door before stepping closer to the bed. “You’re a brave young man, Mr. Unwin,” he murmured, and was that pride Eggsy heard in those words? “Your mother’s lucky to have you around.”

Eggsy smiled slightly. Someday, he’d be strong enough to make sure Dean never hurt his mother again.

“Get some rest,” the doctor said, leaving Eggsy alone in the room with nothing but the heart monitor beeping steadily to lull the boy to sleep.

When he woke again, feeling a little better, his mother was there. The doctor wasn’t, and nobody seemed to know about whom he was speaking. Michelle took him home, apologising for Dean’s behaviour, as she always did.

Eggsy put the doctor’s words deep into his heart, right beside the words of the man who told him about his father’s death.

He was brave. And he’d take care of his mum always.


End file.
